Farewell, Lotus123 … Here’s a Cloud Database Alternative

February 20, 2014

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Lotus123 was perhaps the original “killer app” for PCs. When the spreadsheet software was released in 1983, it swept across all IBM PCs and made the brand a household name. Users liked Lotus123 mainly for its spreadsheet functionalities, simple charting, and rudimentary database operations. However, as technology evolved, Lotus wasn’t able to keep up with the needs of data workers who demanded web accessibility, ease of use, mobility, and other more advanced capabilities.

So it’s not surprising that IBM finally decided to withdraw Lotus123 and other Lotus software last May. On July 11, 2013, Lotus123 was discontinued and users can no longer receive product support after September 30, 2014.

If you are searching for a Lotus123 alternative, you have found the most powerful yet easy-to-use replacement. As a leading cloud database platform, Caspio offers centralized data management by integrating a robust database, point-and-click app building tools, and the scalability and flexibility of a cloud-based solution.

Below are some of the capabilities that make Caspio a great alternative for Lotus123 users:

Powerful Cloud Database — At the core of the Caspio platform is a scalable database that provides many features and functionalities that you would expect from a top-tier database, but without any of the complexities. Lotus123 data can be imported into Caspio with a few clicks and used for a variety of purposes. Caspio utilizes Microsoft SQL Server in the backend for the highest level of performance and adherence to industry standards.

Share, Connect or Move Your Data — If you want to connect your Caspio database to desktop software or other systems, you can easily achieve this using the Microsoft Office Plugin or Caspio DataHub. With the Office Plugin, you can bring data from Caspio’s cloud database into Microsoft Access or Excel and keep the data refreshed automatically on your own computer if you choose. DataHub allows you to automate data transfer tasks between Caspio and FTP, SCP, HTTP, or Amazon S3 repositories.

Turn Data into Custom Cloud Apps — The real power of Caspio’s cloud database lies in its ability to enable non-technical business users to create custom cloud apps ranging from web forms to complex business workflow applications. The intuitive point-and-click app builder drastically simplifies the app creation process and reduces time-to-market by at least 10 times while keeping costs to a small monthly fee. In fact, the American Management Association replaced their old Lotus solutions with Caspio’s custom lead management system and successfully cut their lead processing time by 75%.

On-Demand Scalability — With Caspio, you never need to worry about running out of database storage or installing software upgrades. Hosted on Amazon Web Services, the platform offers unlimited resources and all applications Caspio-powered can scale on-demand. And because Caspio is 100% web-based, all you need is a browser to manage your data and applications.

Data Visualization — The chart and mapping features allow you to translate flat data into exciting visual reports and dashboards. Caspio can instantly turn a sea of static rows and columns into data intelligence. Caspio provides several chart types and all reporting applications can be seamlessly embedded on any website, CMS or mobile site. Caspio also works with Google maps to plot address-centric data.

As a cloud database leader for more than a decade, Caspio is trusted by many Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and media organizations. To learn how you can utilize Caspio for your data management projects, sign up for a free trial or request a no-obligation project consultation with one of our data experts.

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